Ancelotti unhappy with Real players’ approach in draw at Bayern

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti was disappointed with his players’ attitude, calling them soft for defending too deep in their 22 draw at Bayern Munich in the Champions League semifinal, first leg, on Tuesday.

Ancelotti was critical of his team’s commitment after Vinicius Jnr’s first-half goal gave them the lead as Bayern struck twice in four minutes early in the second half to turn the game around before Vinicius equalised from the penalty spot.

“The result is good, but on a level of play we could have done better. Bayern showed their best version and we didn’t. We have to improve for next week,” Ancelotti told Movistar Plus+.

Ancelotti defended his decision to substitute midfielder Toni Kroos, who set up Vinicius’s opener with a brilliant pass and was arguably Real’s best player.

The Italian said he had made four substitutions in an effort to shake up his team and was relieved that they had ended up scoring the equaliser which he believed left the tie open for the return leg in Madrid next week.

“Jude Bellingham had a cramp, Toni Kroos played a spectacular game, but the plan was to try to recover the control of the game by putting fresh legs in,” Ancelotti told a press conference.

Vinicius scored twice, including an 83rd-minute penalty.

The Brazilian struck against the run of play when he slotted in to give the visitors the lead from Kroos’s defence-splitting pass after 24 minutes.

Bayern struck twice in four minutes early in the second half to turn the game around, with Leroy Sane threading home a powerful shot in the 53rd and Harry Kane completing the comeback with a 57th-minute penalty. Real, however, earned a spot kick of their own when Rodrygo was brought down and Vinicius Jr coolly converted it to equalise.

The return leg is in Madrid next Wednesday.